Xiao Deli was stunned, his eyes widening as he stared at Xiao Guli in disbelief. After a long while, he looked at Lin Yao with a questioning look in his eyes.
Lin Yao nodded without speaking, gently patting Xiao Guli's head, sighing inwardly, "This is just a game, it's a pity that Lili doesn't really call you Dad."
"Lin Yao..."
A surge of happiness accompanied by immense hope arose within her. Gu Zhuofei gazed at Lin Yao, her eyes filled with longing, "That 'human nuclear force'..."
"sorry……"
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Chapter 470 Those Who Achieve Great Things
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Gu Zhuofei fell silent. A shrewd businesswoman, she knew it wasn't appropriate to pursue the "human nuclear power" in such a public setting. However, as a former powerful female ruler, she wouldn't give up on securing her husband's safety.
Although this husband can only be considered her "ex-husband" now, she has not been able to let go of that feeling for the past five years. Now that her son has been found, the husband's unforgivable mistakes have naturally disappeared.
Because she is still young, she can still be happy!
A rigid and overly serious attitude towards life will never lead to the greatest happiness. Gu Zhuofei was well aware of this. Therefore, when she learned that Xiao Deli was about to accept a very dangerous mission, she was able to quickly put aside her prejudices and make a 180-degree turn, immediately shifting from indifference and estrangement to the stance a wife should take. Although she still did not know the specific details of the mission, she trusted her husband's approval and believed that Lin Yao would not play the "white lie" game to bring her family together.
However, Lin Yao's "I'm sorry" shattered all her plans. She had already made up her mind when she was negotiating with her husband that she was determined to obtain that magical "human nuclear power".
In Gu Zhuofei's mind, if even her nine-year-old son could quickly become a top expert through "human nuclear power," then her husband, Xiao Deli, who had never stopped physical and military training, would naturally be even more formidable. If he possessed "human nuclear power."
Most importantly, because of Lin Yao and Min Hong's unconditional contributions and good reputation, coupled with their kindness to her family, Gu Zhuofei made the same cognitive error as ordinary people: that such help and continued good treatment were a matter of course, even though they would be grateful to Lin Yao from the bottom of their hearts.
The word "I'm sorry" made Gu Zhuofei's heart skip a beat. Her pupils contracted sharply, but she concealed it well with her worldly-wise manners. Apart from her gaze and that momentary tremor, she did not show any other signs of distress. She fell silent and seriously considered her options, thinking about Lin Yao's reasons for refusing and his motivations, and using the principles of business negotiation to analyze the whole situation.
"Dad, I want to go home."
Xiao Guli suddenly spoke, his voice low. It was clear that the little guy's emotions had been somewhat unnatural. Everything here was vaguely familiar, but it also made him feel scared at times. Although he couldn't figure out why, because Lin Yao was by his side, Xiao Guli could instinctively choose the place he liked the most, so he asked to go home.
"Lili, be good, we'll go home in a bit."
After a moment's thought, Lin Yao decided not to wait for the outcome at General Xiao Li'ao's house any longer. At this point, he had to force the other party to act, and whatever actions or means were taken, he had to do so with the intention of undermining the military's decision.
Humans are emotional beings. When something relates to their own interests, they will instinctively have cognitive biases and adjustments, and their conclusions about a certain event will naturally change. Lin Yao decided to take advantage of General Xiao Li'ao's instinctive reaction in this regard.
By not blindly showing goodwill or offering favors, Lin Yao could gain the attention of others and reiterate his words and actions. He had never owed the Xiao or Gu families anything; helping them raise Xiao Guli was already an extra favor. He had no intention of doing them any further favors. Besides, the family had already genuinely fallen in love with the little guy, and it would be quite nice to raise him for the rest of his life. Although it was somewhat cruel to Gu Zhuofei and the others, Lin Yao could guarantee that Xiao Guli would have a complete and happy home.
"Good son-in-law, shouldn't we wait for Old Man Xiao to return?"
General Xia suddenly raised his question, and the atmosphere became somewhat somber. He deliberately lowered his voice, making it sound muffled and unclear.
"I'm not waiting any longer, Grandpa. If you want to stay here, you can. I'm taking Lili home. We're busy at home."
Lin Yao nodded, smiling nonchalantly. But Gu Zhuofei, who had been watching him closely, felt a chill in her heart. His performance was too natural and calm, without any pretense. This meant that her husband Xiao Deli's "human nuclear power" was probably unattainable, rather than a ploy to lure her in.
"Lin Yao, I want to talk to you about Lili. Let's talk in private."
Gu Zhuofei gritted her teeth, no longer caring whether her words would upset her son, Xiao Guli, and stared at Lin Yao with unwavering determination.
A family is incomplete without a man, even after their son recovers and returns to their side. Gu Zhuofei certainly wouldn't allow that to happen, so she took extra initiative, only to have her efforts directly rejected by Lin Yao, who doesn't play by the rules.
"No need. We've already discussed Lili's situation. Just follow our arrangements. Even if you can find the world's best mental health therapist, it won't matter. Contact Sister-in-law Alina for the specifics."
Lin Yao shook his head and assigned Alina to be in charge of this matter. Xia Yuwen had a past with her, and Dika was not good at this kind of thing. Only Alina, a Bai ethnic woman who seemed to be indifferent to the world and enjoy herself, was the most suitable to play this role.
How could a woman who could train Qingying Ge Yong, an ace of a special forces unit with exceptional physical and mental skills, to be completely obedient be someone who knew nothing?
Lin Yao's refusal surprised Gu Zhuofei greatly. In her countless business negotiations and ordinary interpersonal interactions, such an uncompromising refusal was extremely rare and contrary to common social norms. Logically speaking, even a clear refusal should at least have been made more palatable for both parties, rather than being so sharp and leaving everyone in an awkward position.
"Lin Yao, I'd like to talk to you about General Xiao Deli."
Gu Zhuofei subtly reminded Lin Yao, through her way of addressing her husband Xiao Deli, that this was a matter of state, beyond the realm of family affairs. As she spoke, a hint of annoyance simmered beneath her anxious demeanor. Although she had been out of the public eye for several years, how could a business elite who had once commanded respect and influence in the market be so easily swayed? Lin Yao's attitude had crossed certain lines, instinctively stirring up hostility in Gu Zhuofei, much like the tension between adversaries who suddenly appeared during business negotiations.
"Sister Zhuofei, I'm actually a very simple person. If this were the Three Kingdoms period, I would never have rescued Liu Bei's son, A Dou, if I hadn't approved of him."
Lin Yao also subtly expressed his attitude: if General Xiao Li'ao did not help, or if he did not take action given his status, he would absolutely not care about the life or death of Xiao Li's son, Xiao Deli, even though Xiao Deli was Gu Zhuofei's husband and Xiao Guli's biological father.
Coercion, blatant coercion once again!
Lin Yao's statement left Gu Zhuofei feeling helpless, like a mouse trying to pull a turtle. This guy was unpredictable and lacked the traditional, selfless generosity of a good Samaritan. Even the "human nuclear energy" that could have been supplied to his more than 5,000 security guards was so stingy it felt like he was being ripped off. He wouldn't even help Gu Li's biological father as Gu Li's adoptive father. This was simply eccentric to the extreme, and Gu Zhuofei was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Um... this..."
Xiao Deli suddenly interjected, his tone rather somber, "I want to take Lili with me for a few days. I haven't really taken good care of him since he was a child..."
"General Xiao, this is not allowed."
Lin Yao immediately refused, thinking to himself, "Are you kidding me! My son, whom I raised with such difficulty, is just being given away like this, and who knows what kind of problems he might develop. You want to find solace before going to war by risking my son? No way! Unless your father agrees to my terms, there's no room for discussion. Little Guli will also completely sever ties with your muddle-headed family, so he won't be ashamed of you when he grows up."
"Lin Yao!" Gu Zhuofei jumped up from her chair. She simply couldn't accept Lin Yao's attitude. Although she had forced herself to cooperate with Lin Yao's gradual treatment plan for Xiao Guli, her husband was now in danger, and Lin Yao wouldn't even agree to her request to be with her son. This was simply too much!
Gu Zhuofei believes that Lin Yao has no right to refuse this request because Xiao Deli is Xiao Guli's biological father!
"Okay, Nannan, wipe your mouth clean and get some napkins for Lili. Let's go home."
Lin Yao glanced around, only missing Gu Zhuofei and Xiao Deli. He lifted Xiao Guli off his lap and put him in his arms, then nodded to General Xia, who was still sitting calmly on his feet, and said, "Grandpa, I'm leaving."
"Oh, come visit often."